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No. 623,568. Patented Apr. 25,1899. J. A. SEGOB.

EXPLDSIVE ENGINE.

(Application @led 'my 1o;v 1s9'a`.) (No Model.)

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AUNITED STATES PATENT Grinch.

JOHN A. SECOR, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

l-:XPLoslvE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,568, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed November 10, 1898. VSerial No. 696,016. (No model.)

which the following' is a specification, refer-- ence being had to the accom panying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invent ion relates to explosive-engines in which the hydrocarbon, which forms the basis of the explosive mixture, is delivered in a liquid forln and is introduced into the working cylinder of the explosion-chamber after each explosion in a quantity suflicient to form the next charge, the hydrocarbon being vaporized within the workingcylinder. The hydrocarbon or oilis commonly delivered by a forcepump, the stroke of which is varied to increase or diminish the quantity of oil supplied. lt'has also been proposed to deliver the oil by gravity. The desirability of providing for a uniform delivery of the oil at least to the point where the engine-governor regulates the delivery in order that the speed of the engine shall not be subject to variations has been generally recognized. Experience has shown, however, that the various methods hitherto employed of feeding the oil by gravity have failed to provide for an absolutely unvarying and uniform head. In all of such cases, so far as l am aware, the oil has been delivered from closed tanks under pressure or from closed tanks from which the oil escapes from time to time as the deliveryopenings of the tanks are uncovered by the withdrawal of oil from another vessel, and air is admitted to the closed vessels to displace the oil therein. delicate, and expensive devices it is impossible to maintain absolutely uniform pressure upon the oil in the closed Vessels, and in the other class of devices referred to it is obvious that the level of the oil outside of the closed vessels must change sufficiently to at least cover and uncover the delivery-orifice of the closed vessel. ln view of the very small quan- .tity of oil used at each explosion it is evident that even the slight variations of pressure or head thus occasioned will produce a relatively great change in the quantity of oil actually Without complicated,

delivered and will effect the operation of the engine to a corresponding degree.

It is the object of this invention to provide for the maintenance of the oil in the delivery vessel at an absolutely -uniform level and under the same pressure at all times, the conductor between such delivery vessel and the engine remaining always open and the flow of oil therethrough being regulated -as the load upon thegengine varies by the enginegovernor. The devices by which this result is secured will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, which represents, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, an engine to which the invention is applied.

The crank-shaft C, cylinder E, pistonlrod F, inlet and exhaust valves h and h, and

their actuating devices-such as the links i2, levers i3, and cam-gear l-may all be constructed, arranged, and operated as usual or as preferred.

A suitable vessel K, having a considerable capacity and serving as the main or supply` vessel, is supported at a suitable height above the cylinder, so as to insure a proper flow of the oil. It may have a conical bottom 7c with a draw-o cock at the apex to facilitate the withdrawal of any sediment that there may be in the vessel. At a proper distance above the bottom is a feed-pipe k2, which is arranged to conduct the oil to a second vessel Lthe said pipe.being provided with a needle or other suitable valve of ordinary construction, (indicated at 753,) the said valve being controlled by a float 7a4, which rests upon the oil in the second or delivery vessel L. Bot-h of the vessels K and L are open to atmospheric pressure, although the oil therein may be protected from dust and other foreign substances by any suitable means. The deliverypipe l communicates with the delivery vessel L at a suitable height above its bottom and with the engine at a point slightly in advance of the inlet-valve h, preferably in the inletpipe h2, between the air-valve M and the inlet-valve h. A sight-glass may be inserted in the delivery-pipe, as at Z, to permit the ilow of the oil to be observed. The deliverypipe is at no time closed between its extremities, although the iiow of the oil therethrough IOO may be regulated, according to the load upon the engine, by a suitable valve, as at MQ the two valves M and M being connected together, but with capacity for independent adj ustmcnt, and controlled through suitable intermediate mechanism (represented by a lever n and link a7) bya suitable governor mechanism, (indicated at N.)

It will be observed that as the oil in the two vessels K and L is always under atmospheric pressure, which is practically constant, and as by the float valve described the level of the oil in the delivery vessel L is maintained at a constant height the oil in the delivery pipe is always under a constant head and its iiow is uniform, except as it is changed with a change of load upon the engine. Under given conditions of work, therefore, the flow of oil is constant and uniform, and for each period of time represented by the complete cycle of the engine a uniform quantity of oil is delivered. In the operation of the engine represented the oil falling into the air-inlet pipe h2 is struck by the strong blast of air passing through the same during the charging stroke of the engine and is immediately converted into spray and carried through the inlet-valve 7L into the working cylinder of the explosion-chamber of the engine, where it is vaporized and mixed with the air to form the fresh charge. It will be evident that by reason of the termination of the deli\f*erypipe at a point in front of or outside of the inletvalve 7L the flow of the oil is not aiected by the pressures developed within tho working cylinder, and it is therefore possible to supply and deliver the oil from vessels open to atmospheric pressure.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with an explosive-engine, of a delivery vessel, a pipe communieating with said delivery vessel and also having an unobstructed entrance at its opposite end into the air-inlet of the engine, said vessel being open to atmospheric pressure, a supply vessel also open to atmospheric pressure and communicating with the delivery vessel, a valve in the communication between said vessels, and a iioat in the delivery vessel to controlsaid valve; substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the air-inlet, inletvalve and valve-operating mechanism of an explosive-engine, of an oil-supply vessel and an oil-delivery vessel open to atmospheric .pressure and communicating the one with the other, a valve in the communicationl between said vessels, a oat in the delivery vessel to control said valve, and a delivery-pipe from said delivery vessel having an unobstructed entrance into said air-inlet in advance ot the inlet-Valve, substantially as shown and described.

This specication signed and witnessed this 3d day of November, A. D. 1808.

JOHN A. SECO R.

In presence of- A. N. JESBERA, W. B. GREELEY. 

